Writer clarifies stance on Costco rules

Last week, in the wake of the election, I hadn't prepared one of my typical, happy, glowingly positive puff-piece columns on a politician or local business.

Instead, I wrote what I thought was a mildly amusing and hopefully somewhat informative column, based on my reaction to rules I perceive as both unnecessary and ill-conceived.

In this instance, I focused on the restrictions that constrain the entry and exit of Costco stores.

I care deeply about people, their feelings and lionize the hard work of retail and service workers.

At the age of 10, I began working behind the counter at my parent's bagel bakery. It is where I learned much of the interpersonal skills that I rely on today. Coming from this entrepreneurial background, I also acquired a healthy skepticism for rules, never flaunting the law, but always questioning authority.

Reaction to the column was remarkable.

Thousands commented, forwarded or otherwise digitally recommended the column to friends within their social networks. Several blog and news aggregator sights picked up the column too.

Most people who commented were deeply annoyed that I would try to skirt the rules of the (deservedly) much-loved Costco. However, it is worth noting that Costco's general policies do not mandate that you show your card or that you take your receipt.

Some suggested I was mean-spirited to Costco's hard-working, generally cheerful employees – something I would never do.

Others got my point, and were supportive of what I felt was a tongue-firmly-in-cheek approach to pointing out the silliness of Costco's ingress/egress practices.

In 2012, we are fast becoming a paperless society.

In many small business like mine, file cabinets are a distant memory as everything is scanned and stored digitally. When purchases are made with a credit card, receipts are unnecessary as they are recorded on statements and available online. When buying movie tickets using services like Fandango, the usher at the theater simply scans the QR code on a smartphone.

And, when making a return to places like Costco a receipt is never necessary because of their sophisticated computer systems that record entire purchase histories which are at the ready. (This was the case when I recently returned a blender that had broken. I had purchased it a couple years ago and Costco still honored the return – truly impressive customer service.)

Keeping customers in line before they leave while receipts and filled-to-the-brim carts are given a cursory look is hardly a theft deterrent, nor can it effectively capture rare cases of store overcharging errors.

Costco's employees have always exemplified courtesy and genuinely great customer service. I can't be the only one who thinks it peculiar that their skills and good humor are funneled to ID and receipt checking.

For all these reasons, I take issue with Costco's entrance and exit policy, a store that is clearly one of the best in nearly every conceivable fashion...but one.

Freelance columnist Adam Probolsky lives in Rancho San Joaquin and is CEO of Probolsky Research LLC, which specializes in opinion research for government, corporate and political clients. Follow him @AdamProbolsky or email adamprobolsky@gmail.com.